This invention relates to arrangements for mounting a doll""s head onto the torso of the doll.
Various arrangements for mounting a doll""s head on the torso of the doll have been proposed heretofore, as indicated in the following U.S. Patents.
Lee et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,625
Granted Dec. 11, 2001
Tucker
U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,447
Granted Jul. 11, 2000
Hesse
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,669
Granted May 13, 1997
Robson et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,282
Granted Nov. 6, 1990
Rahmstorf
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,982
Granted Mar. 4, 1980
Taluba
U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,453
Granted Mar. 13, 1979
Ryan et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,155
Granted Feb. 4, 1969
Beebe
U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,901
Granted Mar. 17,1964
However, the head mounting arrangements disclosed in these prior art patents are unduly limited and unrealistic in head movement in some cases, and are unduly complex or expensive to manufacture in other cases.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a head-to-torso doll mounting arrangement which is both realistic in its range of motion and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
In accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the invention, the neck area of the torso of a doll is provided with an integrally molded transversely extending pin in the neck area, and a head-to-torso neck linkage member has a lower opening extending around said pin for providing limited movement of the neck linkage relative to the torso. The neck linkage member extends upward through a neck opening in the torso, and has a generally hemispherical surface for mating with a corresponding substantially hemispherical recess on the doll head. Above the hemispherical surface, the neck linkage has a protruding shaft from which two depending retention arms extend. The hemispherical recess in the dolls head has a central opening and a recess toward the rear thereof to facilitate snap insertion of the depending retention arms. The doll""s head is hollow and is formed of somewhat resilient material, so that once the retention arms are inserted into the head, the two hemispherical surfaces engage, and the retention arms engage the inner surface of the hollow doll""s head to bias the hemispherical surfaces toward one another.
The resultant available positioning of the doll""s head relative to the torso corresponds fairly closely to that of a person, with the retention arms and the fairly loose fit of the pin with the hole in the linkage member, providing for simulated normal limited movement of the head and neck.
More generally, therefore, a doll assembly includes a transversely extending molded pin; and a neck linkage member includes an enlarged lower end having an opening through which said pin extends. The neck linkage member extends upward through a neck opening in the torso to a substantially hemispherical surface for engagement with a mating substantially hemispherical surface on the head. Finally the neck linkage has a shaft which extends through an opening in the hemispherical recess in the head, and is provided with downwardly extending retention arms for biasing the hemispherical surfaces together and for holding the head in desired positions relative to the torso.
The neck linkage member has a somewhat anchor like configuration with a shaft being enlarged at the lower end thereof, with a central opening, through the enlarged end; and having upper depending retention arms which are similar to the flukes of an anchor. In addition, the neck linkage is provided with the hemispherical surface intermediate the enlarged apertured end and the depending retention arms, for mating with a substantially hemispherical recess in the doll""s head.
One aspect of the invention involves the upwardly extending shaft with the depending retention arms; with these arms having the resiliencing to bend inward when pressed through a small hole in the head, and expanding to bias the head toward the torso following snap insertion of the arms into the doll""s head.
With regard to advantages as compared with the prior art, the use of a separate neck linkage is useful in providing more realistic available positions for the head; and the use of molded parts for the pin, head and linkage makes for a relatively simple and inexpensive assembly.